


It Can Break Any Curse

by marty_mcfly_jr



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Swanfire - Freeform, season 1 rewrite
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2019-10-27 09:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17764388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marty_mcfly_jr/pseuds/marty_mcfly_jr
Summary: August never finds Emma or Baelfire, so Emma and Neal, discover Emma’s pregnant, they marry, and end up in storybrooke.When there, not only does Rumple wake up when he hears Emma’s name, but he also knows his little boy when he see’s him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I posted this on tumblr as an answer to a prompt written by roseunspindle http://roseunspindle.tumblr.com/post/181920194167/what-if

“Stop the car!”

“Stop the wha-” Neal looked at the passenger seat where Emma was gripping the door handle looking green.

The tires screeched as Neal stepped on the brakes, and, just as the car stopped on the shoulder of the road, Emma opened the car door and puked.

“Just in time,” Emma rejoiced wiping her mouth with a tissue.

“Are you OK?” Neal was worried and very confused. She looked happy and totally herself now. “You just threw up! Is something wrong?“

"No, I’m fine now. I was very nauseous a second ago though.”

Neal started the car again. They *were* on the run, after all, heading to Canada.

“Are you sure, Emma?”

Emma nodded, “hey, sorry I scared you there. I’m good, lets go. I want to steal some maple syrup.”

“I’ll buy you the maple syrup when we get to Canada. We have plenty of money now that we sold the watches.”

“Aw I will have to get used to not stealing.”

“Yup We’re going to live the straight and the narrow life from now on.” Neal was driving just a little over the speed limit so they wouldn’t attract attention and he was concentrating heavily on the curvy road, but he sneaked a look at Emma and they exchanged a smile.

“We’re starting a new life. Together.” Emma said almost expectantly.

Neal almost fell off the cliff they were driving alongside, and he turned the steering wheel wildly to avoid it.

“Whoa!” Emma laughed, “I didn’t even get to the part where I say let’s get married!”

Neal short-stopped the car again. “Will- will you- will you marry me?” Neal stammered in surprise.

“I will if you aren’t too coward to ask.” Emma was really enjoying Neal’s reaction. She was outright giggling when Neal opened the car door and put his hand in his pocket. He walked around the car to the passenger seat and opened Emma’s door. Getting on one knee he held out a box with a glistening diamond ring and asked, “will you marry me?”

Now it was Emma’s turn to be shocked. “Are- are you- are you proposing?” Emma stammered.

“Yes, I am,” Neal said holding the ring out for her,“ and this ring is not stolen. I bought it. With money.”

“You bought it.” Emma repeated looking giddy.

“Well, the money might have been from stealing. Stolen, I mean.” Neal was apprehensive, too.

“Yes!” Emma said.

“Yes?” Neal asked.

“Yes, I’ll marry you!” she said and hugged Neal laughing and crying and squeezing him tight.


	2. Chapter 2

"You are a driven woman. Maybe there is something missing. You have a hole." Archie was trying to soothe Regina and explain to her why she was not happy.

"A what?" Regina suddenly remembered Rumple giggling in that crazy-but-all-knowing way saying to her, 'now you have a hole, in your heart'. Regina couldn't believe that Archie was saying that same thing now.

Archie was oblivious to regina's raging emotions and and answered, "a hole, an emptiness."

"There's more to life than work." Archie continued "Maybe that's why you feel dissatisfied."

"I am not dissatisfied." Regina spat defensively, "I love my life."

"What's the point if you've got no one to share it with? Has there ever been a time in your life when you haven't felt this way?"

Regina remembered, "When that little boy visited." She Smiled "Owen."

"A child. That can bring so much meaning." Archie concluded. 

********

Emma and Neal were giggling and groping each other while driving wildly.

"This can't be safe," Neal said giggling and trying to get Emma to stop tickling him.

Suddenly the car started to sputter.

"Oh, no, car trouble!" Emma laughed, "let's dump this car and steal another one."

"But, Emma, we decided - !"

"I know, I know we're going straight," Emma interrupted him laughing, "I was kidding. This is the car we met in. And I'm never parting ways with it now, now that you proposed to me in it!"

"I was going to propose in Canada," Neal protested shyly. 

"But then you proposed here," Emma teased.

"You did it first," Neal retorted.

"Well, it *is* our special bug," Emma giggled, "and speaking of the car, where should we stop to fix it, this road looks empty."

They drove on, the engine sputtering and coughing, when Emma suddenly pointed to a sign in the middle of nowhere. 

"Look," she shouted excitedly, "there is a town here! It looks small enough, that I doubt they'd be looking for us here." She loosened her hair and removed her glasses. She put the hood up on Neal's head so that no one would recognize them. 

They drove into town unnoticed, it was almost midnight, after all, and stopped at Granny's diner and motel.

The old woman at the counter looked like she never saw strangers before.

"Can we have a room for the night?"

The woman, literally named Granny, gave them the key gladly and showed them to their room.

"What are your names," Granny asked conversationally. Before either of them could answer a young woman dressed in a very revealing red outfit walked in, and Granny immediately shot harsh words at her for coming home so late and being 'too easy' 

Neal and Emma looked at each other uneasily as Ruby and Granny fought. Ruby stormed upstairs leaving Granny red faced and bothered.

"Where is the car mechanic in this town," Emma asked timidly. 

Granny gave the directions politely, not making eye contact and not asking for their names, 

 

**********

Regina noticed the newcomers. She remembered the disastrous encounter with Owen and his dad, and decided to leave them alone until she learned more about them.

She put a hidden camera in their hotel room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG!! I am so sorry!! I reposted a chapter by mistake!! Now I have the real chapter 3

********

The car was still at the mechanic a week later when Regina was looking through the pictures taken by her hidden camera. It was hard to get to them because the hotel room was almost always occupied by either Emma or Neal. They only left to buy groceries or to check on their car. They did not mingle with the townspeople. 

Regina looked at the video she took of Emma and Neal's hotel room. She watched how they were getting settled in their room and she looked away blushing at most of their interactions. She didn't feel right, invading their privacy like that.

'What's happening to me?' She wondered, "why is looking at these two kids making me feel so much emotion? I am the Evil Queen! When do I ever shy away from other people's business?'

But it didn't matter. She was not interested in their relationship anyway. She wanted to hear them _talk_ about themselves. 

She found one such conversation on their second day. 

Emma came out of the bathroom looking worried.

"What's going on," Neal asked when he saw her face.

"Neal, I..." Emma's voice shook a bit, "I think we're gonna be parents!"

Neal jumped from the small couch, a thousand emotions crossing his face, and swept Emma off her feet hugging her fiercely. Regina noticed tears in Neal's eyes when he kissed Emma and whispered, "really?"

Emma hugged him tightly too. She looked like she was holding onto him for dear life as she fretted "what do we do, Neal? I've never been more excited and more _scared_ in my whole life!"

I don't know," Neal looked terrified too. They sat together on the chairs by the tiny round table and Emma said, "We're criminals. What do they do to criminals who have a baby? Do they take the child away?" Emma never considered the consequences of her crimes with such fear before. Now she had a child to consider!

Regina, watching this, felt like she won the lottery. 

Neal had no idea what the laws were either. These two kids were as clueless as, well, kids. Regina made her decision right then and there. She will adopt these two teenagers _and_ their baby.

They have no family, and no idea how to raise a child. She was tempted to take the baby and turn them in, but, remembering Owen, she decided to adopt them both first. If they become too smart, all she had to do was threaten to turn them in and take the baby.

********** 

 

"Hi, you two look lost," she said to Emma kindly. While 'bumping' into them at the auto shop. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

"Oh, no, we are OK," Emma started.

But Regina had a plan ready. 

"Listen, I am the mayor of this town, and I know who you are, but don't worry," she assured her when she saw Emma's face, "I, too, was a criminal. I know how hard it is when no one trusts you, even though you want to start a new life. I am sure you two aren't planning to continue your Bonnie and Clyde act. Why else did you decide to stop by this nice little town? How about you stay at my home? I will hide you both, and from the looks of you, Emma, I can tell that you are pregnant. I can help you raise your baby and make sure that no one knows a thing."

Emma and Neal exchanged excited looks. They were so naive; so trusting.

"We will start with changing your names. Let's see: you," she pointed at Emma, look like a Carmen, or maybe a Zoey. Which name do you choose?"

"Zoey?" Emma tried on the name. It seemed to fit nicely.

"And you can be Ben, what to you think?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want them to meet Gold but he wouldn't yet recognize them. Any suggestions?


	4. Chapter 4

As time passed, Regina was becoming more and more paranoid. She tossed and turned in bed every night worrying that one day Neal and Emma would get bored of hiding in her mansion. She worried that they will want to go out and get to know more of Storybrooke. She worried that one day they will realize that no one was growing up, that time was standing still... What if... What if...

Regina was obsessively listening to Emma and Neal's conversations. Checking if they were still happy, if they were planning to go. One evening she heard them lament about how much they wished they could have lived by the beach. The next morning, she brought up the beach in a casual conversation, saying how much she, herself loves the beach. When they admitted to her that their plans were to live in Tallahassee, by the beach, she said "We have a beach right here!"

"But, you know, we can never go," Emma said sadly.

 

"You forgot. I am the mayor of this town. I can close the beach claiming it's dangerous, or something. Then you kids could go and enjoy with no one getting in your way. Don't worry. You can go in your bathing suits and no one will be there to recognize you.

She went out and got twenty bathing suits in their sizes so that they didn't have to go shopping. She was sure they would like one of the suits. They loved _all_ of them. 

Spying on them at the beach, she saw them splashing each other and sunning comfortably. They did not talk much; they were too busy having a blast. 

Eventually, while walking by the water, feet digging into the soft sand, she finally heard a conversation.

Emma had her arms wrapped around Neal's middle and sighed happily, "Hey, Neal," she said, "When we have our baby, we should bring him or her to the beach every day."

 

"I don't think Regina will be able to close the beach for us indefinitely," Neal said holding her. 

 

"Do you think we can stay this way forever? Stuck like this in Regina's mansion? Don't you miss going out, seeing people?" Emma asked.

Neal and Emma sat down by the water, letting the waves crash on them and cool them off. Neal was poking his fingers in the sand absentmindedly making holes for the waves to fill every minute or so.

Emma looked at Neal. She, herself, was comfortable lounging around. Her belly was growing every day, now, and movement was less enticing for her.  
But she knew how Neal loved the freedom and how much he wanted to move to Canada where they could start a new life. 

"I'm comfortable here, for now," Neal said.

"But maybe, someday, after our baby is born, maybe we can move on. Maybe Regina can come with us." Emma suggested.

This made Neal chuckle. "Regina is the Mayor of this town, Emma. Why would she want to leave the country? You can't become the president of the United States from Canada."

"Oh, Neal," Emma laughed, "she wouldn't be hording two felons in her house if she had such aspirations."

Another wave washed over their legs and both Neal and Emma wiggled their toes in appreciation.

"I think we should name Regina our baby's godmother. what do you say?" Emma said.

Regina did not hear that part of their conversation, because just then, Sydney Glass called and said that he could not find any information about a Neal Cassidy other than that he was wanted for stealing watches. There was nothing in his history no known parents. It was as if he landed on earth at age twenty one.

"age twenty one?" Regina was fuming, "He barely looks eighteen! are you sure you are doing the research correctly?"

Sydney stuttered a response, but Regina said, "forget it! just look up an Emma Swan. find out everything about her. You'd better have more success than you had with Neal!"

"And keep looking for information about Neal!' She added.

************************************************

As the weeks flew by, Emma and Neal were getting closer to the day they will have their child. 

"I think it's time to ask Regina if she wants to be our baby's godmother," Neal said one morning.

Emma wanted it to be a special occasion. She was hoping to sneak out into town and get something nice for Regina, but they never got a chance for that, because Regina was such a doting hostess, she would never let them sneak out. 

"What if someone will recognize you?" She would ask, and insist on buying for them anything they needed.

**************************************************

"Did you get anything?" Regina asked Sydney Glass when she opened the door for him. She looked behind her to check if anyone was listening; Emma and Neal were sitting by the indoor pool in the back. It was becoming too cold to swim outdoors.

"Unfortunately, not much," Sydney said regretfully. He hated to disappoint the mayor. 

"But I did find something interesting about Emma Swan," he rushed to add when he saw Regina's sour look, "eighteen years ago, she was found as a baby on the side of a road along with a mysterious little boy!"

This perked Regina up. "Really?" she whispered, suddenly looking scared, "did you find anything about who her parents are? anything about where that boy is now... Wait, Could that boy be Neal?"

 

"I don't know. I found nothing at all about Neal Cassidy. I am so sorry," Glass said sadly, but Regina was already dismissing that theory.

 

"Nah, he couldn't be. They look exactly the same age, not seven years apart." Taking his arm and showing him to the door, Regina said, "Well, thank you very much for your help, Sydney." She was practically pushing him out.

 

****************************

The bell on the shop door rang as Regina stormed into Gold's shop.


	5. Chapter 5

The bell on the shop door jingled as Regina stormed into Gold's shop.

"You!" Regina spat, advancing on Mr. Gold, and pointing a finger in his face.

Gold looked up from the teapot he was polishing and gave Regina a calm, but confused frown.

 

"You said I will have a hole in my heart," Regina continued hysterically, "You said that Snow and Charming's baby will end the curse, and now, now I adopted these kids and you know what? One of them was found as a newborn baby on the side of the road _eighteen years ago_!"

Gold looked at her.

" _Eighteen years ago!_ " She repeated with emphasis.

"You adopted two kids?" Gold asked blankly.

Regina groaned in frustration, remembering that Gold was just as clueless as the rest of the town. "Not for long," She said turning to leave, "I am going to turn them in. I will not lose my victory for these kids!"

 

"Well, I'm sure these kids are not sorry about this. You wouldn't make much of a mother anyway." Gold said calmly as she left. The door closed behind Regina with ah thud, but she heard him, and a part of her felt like she had lost already.

*******************************

"Neal! Emma! You must get into my car!" Regina yelled when she went home. 

"Is everything OK?" Emma asked, and Neal held her hand protectively. She was very close to her due date and Neal worried about her getting the fright. 

"I think I heard something about the authorities finding out that you are here in Storybrooke," Regina said sneakily. She had called the authorities in the next town about the two criminals with her. She knew that no police car would find Storybrooke unless she drives them out of town.

Neal and Emma quickly got into her car and huddled together in the back seat. 

"Don't worry," Regina said. "I will drive you to safety." She didn't want Emma going into labor in her car. She figured she'd drive an hour or two until the authorities will stop her and ask for the criminals, or until she reaches the next town and drops them off at a convenient store just to call police while they were inside.

Emma and Neal sat quietly during the drive until Emma was lulled to sleep on Neal's shoulder. 

"Thank you, Regina," Emma mumbled in her sleep.

Regina looked in her rearview mirror. She saw Emma's eyes closed and looked at Neal who looked back at her and smiled shrugging his shoulder (not the one that Emma slept on) "She talks in her sleep," he said.

Regia looked back at the road and, seeing no cars ahead, she looked back at Neal questioningly. 

"Emma and I kept trying to sneak out of your house to buy you something," Neal said, realizing that, if they _do_ get caught, they might never see Regina again, "We were planning to name you our baby's godmother."

Regina pressed on the gas pedal a little too suddenly and quickly slowed down to get back onto the speed limit. "Really?" She asked trying to keep the emotions out of her voice.

"Yeah," Neal sighed tiredly. They were busy all day at Regina's house, and were up the night before with Emma's contractions which turned out to be just a false alarm. "Emma said that she never knew what family was until she lived at your house. She doesn't have parents, you know."

"Really," Regina repeated lightheadedly, "What about when she met you? The two of you seem very close."

"Yes, we're family to each other, but I don't have any relatives either. With you it's different. You have a home, you have a town, you have a life in one place..." Neal trailed off, falling asleep next to Emma.

When Neal and Emma woke up they saw that they had returned to Regina's mansion. "Oh!" They both jumped still groggy with sleep.

"Don't worry, it's OK, it's OK," Regina said. "It was a false alarm."

Emma and Neal sighed in relief and went gratefully to their room to sleep.

Regina went out to her vault and drank a magic potion to forget her worries. She couldn't part with the hope of having a baby to look after. She decided to let Emma have the baby in her house. She wanted no record of Emma being in the hospital. After the baby will be born, Regina decided, she will write up the papers as if it was SHE who had the baby, and not Emma. No one in town even knew that Emma was living in her house. She can claim that she herself had a baby. By the time Emma or Neal have any say about where they want to live, they will be forced to go without their baby, because on paper, this baby will be undisputedly hers.

That night Emma felt very strong contractions. The baby was coming. Regina managed to convince the gullible couple that the hospital was not safe for them. "Who knows who might see you," she purred, "I am more than capable of birthing a child."

 

************************************************************

 

After the baby was born and Regina cleaned her house together with Neal, They sat down to discuss what to name the beautiful baby boy that Emma was holding.


	6. Chapter 6

"You failed!" Tamara cowered before John and Michael. "Our boss is NOT happy!" 

"What was I supposed to do?"

"You know what!" Michael yelled. "You were supposed to follow the target - "

"I did!" Tamara interrupted indigently.

" _Discretely_ ," Michael continued.

"I _tried_! we _bumped_ I'm _sorry_ , OK? I'm sure August could find the boy again."

"No!" John spat, "You ruined everything, now. August lost track of them. Do you know what that means? Do you have _any idea_ how many years we have been tracking that boy?!"

"And the Home Office," Michael continued ecstatically, "has been keeping tabs on this kid for centuries!"

"Well, now you're making a lot of sense!" Tamara's temper flared.

John gave Michael a stern look. "Michael meant, that for centuries, the Home Office was trying to rid the world of m- magic, which, which people like that boy know a lot about."

"And, and we recruited August to infiltrate, you know, because he, because he knows so much about magic as well!"

Tamara gave them a funny look, "OK, well, ask our boss what the next step should be, then," she said with finality. She turned away holding her flip phone up and bellowed as she walked away, "you know my number."

John and Michael were left looking at each other fearfully as the shadow appeared before them and they held on with trembling hands, knowing how Pan would take the news.

*********************************************************

"So, where is August now?" Pan thundered. 

John and Michael looked helplessly at each other.

"Did you try to reach out to him?"

"n- no," Michael stuttered, "You said he needs to be handled differently..."

Pan was beginning to have a full blown tantrum. 

"But, but August, he's not as gullible as Tamara or Greg..." John tried to say as Pan was huffing and puffing and nearly blowing the whole island down.

"I NEED YOU TO ADOPT THAT BABY!" he continued his rampage as John and Michael followed trying to calm him, picking up fallen boxes and skeletons and things behind him.

Pan looked at the drawing of the boy again. "This looks a lot like Baelfire, but it wasn't Baelfire. The more I look at it the more SURE I am that this boy must be Emma and Baelfire's son." 

Pan stopped muttering and overturning things. He stood still for a second, causing his followers to stop too.

"What information did you give August," he demanded turning to them.

"The drawing that you gave us, of the dagger," Michael said.

"Ohhh, right, that," Pan had that drawing for centuries. He got it from the mute maid he sent to spy on Rumplestiltskin. That stupid man went and told his son exactly how he could be controlled. Useful information. 

"Emma's location," John continued, "Neal Cassidy's real name and that he's the dark one's son."

"Yeah, what else," Pan started hovering above them chewing on a branch. 

"We told him about why the dark one cast the curse, why, why _Regina_ cast the curse, I mean."

"So August didn't even talk to Neal?" Pan asked furiously.

"No.." John said in a small voice.

Pan hissed. He spent _centuries_ convincing the boy that his father hated him; that he knew where he was but did not want to save him. He used all the tricks he knew, on Baelfire, and on cementing his belief that his papa was happy to be rid of him.

 _Everything_ was going according to plan until that stupid Tamara tripped and stopped August from confronting Neal.

"You'd better find August," Pan commanded, and John and Michael hurried to obey.

*********************************************************************

It was summer, and Emma and Neal were at the beach again. Regina started letting them out with the baby every once in a while. She was worried that if she didn't, they might consider leaving her and moving on to Canada, where they could be free.

However, She supervised their outings heavily. she let them go to Granny's Diner only once every month or two. She let them visit the Rabbit Hole only once, They could go for ice cream only twice a year. She let them visit the grocery every now and then, but she first made sure that different people would be there. She did not encourage them to make any friends. 

"Is this what all people who have parents feel like?" Emma was laying her head on Neal's chest Henry kicking his arms and legs excitedly in her arms. 

"You mean, the way Regina never lets us go out without first planning at least a day in advance," Neal laughed, "I don't know. Maybe if their kids were stealing things and their parents didn't want them to go to jail?"

"Look at him," Emma said proudly, looking at Henry, "He is almost ready to crawl."

"Not on the sand," Neal quickly fixed the beach towel under Henry so that the baby doesn't get sand in his eyes or mouth.

"When I went shopping with Regina yesterday, I saw from the car window an old antique and pawn shop. I think I want to visit that next. Let's tell Regina."

Neal was very interested. "I'd love to visit an antique shop."


	7. Chapter 7

Regina decided that it was time to test Emma and Neal.

She grew to love them, but she was tired of worrying. She hasn’t slept a full night for over a year. Her sleep was haunted with nightmares of Emma and Neal leaving and taking Henry away from her.

She decided to test them.

“Another wedding?” Emma looked confused.

“Look, I was the only one present at the most important event in your life!” Regina pushed, “don’t you want to share your happiness with people you knew from before? Friends, family, I can arrange a big party. No one will say no to an invitation from the mayor. You can have the whole town at your wedding as well.”

“And you think it’s safe for us to go out and not be caught?” Neal was shocked that Regina is offering something she never let them do before – not even within Storybrooke.

“We don’t have amy family that we know of,” Emma said, “and we have no real friends. Not the kind we would want to invite to anything.”

“What about that friend you told me about, Emma?” Neal asked. “Do you think she would want to come with us to Storybrooke?”

“Lily?” Emma hesitated, “I don’t know…” Emma looked at Neal.

“Go,” Regina urged, “see if she wants to come with you. And,” Regina added carefully, looking at Emma and Neal for reactions, “you can leave Henry with me!”

Both Emma and Neal nodded. They fully trusted Regina with Henry; they had no reason not to.

Regina let out a breath she was holding. “Then it’s settled,” she said. You can start planning your trip.”

“OK,” Neal said, looking at Emma for approval, “we can leave next week?”

“I would like to go to this antique shop first, though.” Emma said.

************

“You are turning to wood,” John told August when he found him.

August looked at him, bewildered. “Why do you say that?” He asked.

“Oh, I know your story. This land without magic,, heh, your time is limited here. Did you find Emma yet? You know she is the key to breaking the curse. She must be separated from her son for that.”

August looked at John and Michael. “Her _son_ ,” he asked.

“Look, Pinoccio, you were sent with Emma for a specific reason. This is Emma’s destiny. If she won’t break the curse bad things will happen. She was supposed to get here with her parents.”

“Why does she need to be separated from her son? How does that help?”

“Don’t worry, she will be reunited with him later. You just have to make sure you take him out of Storybrooke.”

“Take her son from Storybrooke? Where would I put him?”

“We will raise him, until it’s time.” John and Mickael promosed. We will not let any harm befall him.”

“Why don’t _you_ go and kidnap the boy. I don’t want to do that.”

“We have no access to Storybrooke. We can’t get in. We’re not from the Enchanted Forest.” Michael said.

John urged, “we promise the boy will be fine! Just bring him and all will be well. You will stay human.”

***********

John and Michael felt terrible about lying to August, but they knew that if Pan doesn’t get Henry, their sister will never be free.

**********

The little bell jingled when Emma and Neal walked into Mr. Gold’s shop. The shop owner looked up for a second to see who walked in, and then went back to polishing a goblet.

Emma bounced right into the shop, instantly noticing the unicorn baby mobile on display. “Hey, look at this!” Emma called to Neal, "can you believe someone made a _glass_ mobile? Glass! How impractical! Or is it crystal? Imagine the sun getting on it from Henry’s window. It would blind him!”

Neal looked in Emma’s direction when she spoke, but then he looked again at the shop owner. Mr. Gold? Was that his name? He looked so much like his papa it was unnerving. He was looking down at the moment so Neal could not see his features, but from what he was able to see in the second he looked up… it unsettled him.

It was not the same man, it couldn’t be. Neal knew it couldn’t be his papa. He was just imagining things because he and Emma were going out today to look for a friend. Not family. He didn’t have a family here.

This Mr. Gold was nothing like his papa. He looked rich in an expensive suit. He looked comfortable and self assured. He looked like a normal person. He didn’t look like a monster or a downtrodden coward.

He realized he was staring when Mr. Gold looked up from his work and asked, “can I help you?”

Neal was rattled. This man looked _and_ sounded like his papa. He felt a chill down his spine

“Don’t panic,” he told himself.

He knew his father was in a different realm. He spent centuries in Neverland being convinced that his papa was never coming for him, that he didn’t care for him, that he _left_ him.

Emma and Mr. Gold were at his side now, holding him up. He didn’t realize that he was falling.

“We gotta get outta here,” Neal whispered and held onto Emma.

“What?” Both Gold and Emma asked in surprise.

Neal moved Emma away from Mr. Gold and said “we have to-“

But Emma stopped him. “Neal, you’re shaking. What’s the matter?”

“Emma,” Neal whispered.

“Emma!” Gold suddenly looked like he woke up from a trance.

Mr. Gold looked at Emma and then his eyes locked with Neal’s.

“Bae,” he whispered, a thousand emotions crossing his face.

Neal almost reached for his papa; an overwhelming need to be hugged by his papa and cry about centuries of terror and loneliness sized him.

Then he remembered. It was his papa’s fault. He let go.

“No,” he said harshly, “I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’m not interested-“

“What’s going on? Who are you,” Emma interjected.

“Are you Emma?” Gold asked, “you two know each other?” He asked Neal.

“Don’t answer him,” Neal said. He was practically pushing Emma out of the shop, “we need to go. We’re taking henry.”


	8. Chapter 8

“Emma!” memories flooded Mr. Gold’s brain at hearing the name. He looked at the girl, Emma. She did not look twenty eight. Maybe the future was not as clear to him.

He looked at the boy who was with her, and his heart stopped.

“Bae,” he whispered.

His boy looked older. His heart broke at the sight of his lost boy. He thought about all the missing time… His child was an adult now, he looked over eighteen. He never even got to celebrate his fifteenth birthday. It seemed like forever ago, he had a gift ready and he saved up ingredients to make Bae’s favorite cake. It was only a day before that whole bean disaster: before he let go of that precious hand, before he abandoned the love of his life…

“No,” his son said. Bae looked angrier than his papa has ever seen him before. “I don’t know what you’re doing here, but I’m not interested-” He’s been angry at him before, as a growing teenager, but this time, it looked like something inside him broke.

Gold’s ears were ringing with regret and with a need to do something, _anything_ to make up for his betrayal at the portal. He could barely hear when Emma asked him who he was.

Emma seemed to know his son, She seemed to have a good effect on him. He wondered how they knew each other. Did they come to Storybrooke together?

Neal looked like he wanted to protect this Emma from, from _him_. but Emma came back into the shop and asked again, “Who are you?”

“Do you remember I told you about how my father abandoned me and left me in the streets?” Bae said to Emma.

Hearing these words, knowing that his child was alone in the streets, brought tears to Mr. Gold’s eyes.

“That’s him,” Bae said to the girl. “I don’t trust him, and you know what? I’m afraid that if Regina knows him, I can’t trust her either.”

“I came here to look for you, ” Mr. Gold said feebly.

Emma laughed, “in a sleepy town, you’re standing in your shop in your,” she looked Gold up and down, “ _expensive_ shoes.” Emma laughed again, bitterly, “doesn’t look like you’ve been putting too much effort. You threw him to the streets and left. He was homeless!”

“No, it wasn’t like that,” Neal tried to correct her, but she was becoming really angry.

“Do you know what you did to him? For years he’s been convinced that a magical portal opened and you didn’t go with him into it. I don’t know what you did, but he was so traumatized that he believed magic was involved! Magic! He’s been having dreams about you! And him! Over some portal! And you – letting go of his hand. You, choosing all -,” Emma looked around the shop and gestured, “ _this crap_ , over him!”

As

Now Emma was pushing Bae out of the door, protecting him from his father. “I won’t let Neal regress into believing nonsense again. There’s no such thing as magic!” She said to Neal and Gold.

Mr. Gold stared at the girl. _She didn’t believe in magic?_ “Which Emma are you? You can’t be the daughter of-“

Emma laughed. “If you think you know my parents, you’ve got the wrong Emma,” she said. “I was left at the side of the road when I was born.”

Gold followed them to the door, “please,” he begged, “I want to make it up to you, please. What’s the harm in talking. I just want to talk to you… Bae…”

But this time, it was Neal who walked back into the shop. “What do you mean, Emma’s parents? Who are Emma’s parents?”

“Snow white and prince Charming,” Mr. Gold said.

“Hello,” Emma snapped her fingers angrily in Gold’s face, “why are you indulging him in fairy tales? Are you trying to bring him down again? You are a horrible person,” Emma said, “did you really kill Neal’s mother, or is it another-“

Emma stopped at the guilty look on Gold’s face.

“No wonder the guy is traumatized! Emma started pulling Neal away, “did he see it happen?”

“No, Emma, I told you, Hook told me about it when I was in Neverland.”

“Neverland?” Mr. Gold’s voice sounded thin with panic.

“You see what you did to him,” Emma spat at Gold. She interpreted Gold’s horrified expression into his horror at seeing his son talk nonsense. “You see what you did, you horrible man? Your son believes he was in Neverland for centuries. _centuries_!”

Emma remembered trying to sooth Neal’s crazy-talk with a story of her own. She told him how she wished, as a child, that Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry existed, and that one day she would find out that her parents were killed by a powerful dark lord because they were magic.

_”I know it sounds horrible, but I would rather believe they were dead, and not that I was just thrown away like a bad egg.”_

_”I know how you feel,” Neal had told her. “For years, I thought my mother was dead, and it hurt, but when I went to Neverland, and Hook told me that she really just abandoned me, it hurt so much more!”_

Mr. Gold had tears running down his face, “my boy…” he cried, “Neverland… h-how?”

“How can I make it up to you?” Mr. Gold asked, his voice shaking, “I don’t expect you to forgive me, Bae, I just want to talk to you, to try to make up for what I did.

Emma felt sorry for the old man, she saw that he was sincere, and she saw how Neal needed his papa. “I’ll give you three minutes,” she said. “I’ll wait in our car.” And she walked out.

“Our car,” Papa eyed him, “how well do you know each other?”

“We’re getting married.” Neal said shortly.

“Oh,” his papa exhaled, with so much emotion. “My son, you’re getting married! Oh!”

Neal wanted to gush to his papa, he wanted to tell him how much he loves Emma, how much he loves his son, Henry. He wanted to tell him that he has a son. He wanted to tell him about his fears, his past crimes. He wanted to tell his papa about how he met Emma stealing a car. He wanted to tell papa everything, but instead, he said, “you’re not invited.”

His papa’s face fell.

“You need to answer my questions, now.” Neal said. “What makes you think you know Emma’s parents? Are they here? In this town?”

“Snow and Charming. They are not _supposed_ to be here. They the blue fairy was going to send them through a different portal to the land without magic.”

“How did _you_ get here?”

“I convinced the Evil Queen to cast a curse.”

“A curse.” Neal did not like what he was hearing. “You look different here. Are you still the dark one?”

“I’m afraid so,” his papa said quietly, “it’s either that, or I’m schizophrenic. I don’t think the dagger works here, but the darkness is still part of me.”

“How many people in this town are from our land?”

Before Gold could answer, Regina stormed into the shop.

“Henry’s missing!” She yelled looking panicked. Emma was following closely behind her.

“I called Sherif Graham, but, I don’t know… he’s not in his crib. He’s not anywhere in the house! At first I thought you two decided to take him, but Emma said you didn’t.”

“Who’s Henry,” Gold asked.

Regina ignored him. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to him? If it wasn’t you and Emma than who…?”

Regina looked around in panic. She spotted Gold and her gaze lingered on him. “You!” She said. “You’re the only one powerful enough to play games like that.”

“You know my father?” Neal asked.

“Your father?” Regina asked looking from Neal to Mr. Gold, “you said you have no family. What kind of game is that, Rumple?”

“You do know him!” Bae raised an accusing finger at her, “you’re from there, aren’t you? Where’s Henry? Are you in cahoots with my father?”

“Where are Emma’s parents,” Gold asked Regina, “what did you do to them? I know you couldn’t harm them, so why are Snow and Charming not with their daughter?”

Regina went pale. “Emma… is the daughter?!”

But at the same time, Emma all but covered Neal’s ears with her palms. “STOP WITH THE FAIRY-TALE TALK!” She bellowed. “If these two… people… have a pet name, _change it_!”

“Please,” Regina said into the confusion, “tell me you took Henry. We’ll fight over him later. I just want to know that he’s safe.”

This stopped everyone.

“Henry is really missing?”

“You’re not just-“

“What do you mean, how can he be missing? He was at home!”

“Who is Henry?”

“Our son!” They all yelled together at Gold. “Did you kidnap him?”

“No!” Gold said his face a sea of emotions. “I would never do that, Bae.”

Everyone started to panic.

“Who else…?”

They all left the shop and started walking not sure how to look for a child who couldn’t run off on his own.


	9. Chapter 9

They all got into their own cars and each drove to a different area in Storybrooke looking for suspicious activity. They agreed that Neal and Emma should drive towards out of town, in case the kidnapper is able to leave Storybrooke somehow.

It was getting dark and the weather became chilly as Gold drove towards the woods and Regina drove towards the middle of the town. They all felt a dread in the pit of their stomachs. They kept in touch on their phones, but all except for Emma knew that the minute the two leave town, they’d be on their own. No communication outside of town was possible.

“I see something,” Emma shouted right after they passed the sign that said “leaving Storybrooke”. “Look!” She said pointing at a motorcycle ahead.

“Is there anyone in town who would want to hurt the mayor for some reason?” Emma, who was on three-way phone conversation with Gold and Regina asked. “Opposing politics?”

But there was no reply.

“I had a full battery,” Emma looked annoyed for only a second, before putting all of her focus on following the motorcycle. They saw the motorcycle, as small as a toy from the distance, stopping near a red car. As they hit the gas and got closer they noticed the red car was a very old Pontiac.

Crash.

They hit the car before the man on the motorcycle got a chance to hand the bundle he was holding to the two strange-looking young men in the car.

“August, hand over the baby,” one man said from inside the car.

“John, Michael,” August nodded at each of them. “You promised-“

“John and Michael?” Neal’s eyes were bulging with horror when he recognized the boys he lived by all those centuries ago. “What are you two doing here? And why the heck are you kidnapping my son?”

Neal and Emma were out of the car. Emma was wrestling baby Henry out of August’s hands, and Neal was trying not to faint.

 _The Darlings! It couldn’t be._ His stomach churned when he realized that only magic could have been involved in keeping them alive for all those centuries.

He didn’t know if he should be relieved or horrified at seeing the family he’d dreamt about all those lonely days in Neverland.

“How are you still here, and what do you want with my baby?”

Emma already had Henry and was about to take him into their car when another car joined them. A nondiscript man and a gorgeous black girl came out.

“Tamara!” John and Michael blurted out together in surprise.

“Home Office called for backup.” She said, all business, and grabbed Henry from Emma and passed him to the man beside her.

“Greg, send the baby.” She directed. “Send him to the home office.”

Neal spun around to face Greg. He was about to fight him, when suddenly, Pan’s shadow came swooping down to them and making a grab for Henry.

“No!” Neal screamed, putting himself between the shadow and Henry.

John and Michael looked like they were going to cry. They remembered how, centuries ago, this same Baelfire was standing between _them_ and the same shadow – protecting _them_.

“What is going on?” Emma demanded.

“The shadow!” Neal screamed in full blown panic, frantically trying to ward it away, “it wants to take Henry to Neverland!”

Emma walked over to Henry and grabbed him away from Greg.

“What shadow?” She asked.

And just like that, the shadow disappeared.

“She doesn’t believe!” August yelled. “It can’t exist in front of her.”

“No problem,” Tamara said, and whipped out a gun. Neal watched it happen, as if in slow motion.

Tamara pointed the gun aiming it right at Emma’s heart. She was going to kill her and then let the shadow come back for Henry.

Neal had no time to consider what to do. All he knew was that his family was in danger, and he couldn’t let that happen. He leaped the considerable distance toward Emma, just as Tamara fired.

The bullet ripped through his back, hitting him in the lung.

Neal fell, still holding Emma and Henry protectively, blood flowing from his potentially fatal wound.

Emma stared in horror at Neal. She tried to check his wound to see-

“Emma,” Neal gasped, using every bit of strength he had to stay concious. “Get Henry and get out of here! Speed into Storybrooke! Go to my father’s Shop and tell him what happened, he will help you protect Henry. Run!!”

“We have to get you to a hospital!” Emma didn’t move from his side.

“Emma! Forget _me_!" Neal gasped. _She has a gun!_ ” He wheezed in panic, “she just tried to kill you! RUN!”

Neal did not have to worry, though. The moment Tamara shot Neal, August turned on Tamara and tackled her gun away. He then pointed the gun at her and at Greg.

“I don’t trust you one bit,” he yelled over his shoulder at John and Michael, “you were going to kill _the savior_? You don’t care _at all_ about the curse breaking. You have something else on your agenda!”

August was beside himself with fury, and , because he had never held a gun before, and Tamara had the gun ready to shoot again, when she missed Enma, he pulled the trigger. Tamara fell to the ground, dead, and Greg flew into his car and sped away.

August was horrified. He’s just killed a person! He didn’t mean to, he was just so angry, instinctively wanting to ball his fists.

Emma and Neal were busy with each other and didn’t hear what was said between August and the others. All they knew was that another gunshot was fired. Emma ducked instinctively over baby Henry who started bawling loudly.

“Please,” Neal was barely able to hold on to life. He was starting to lose consciousness, “please get in the car…. don’t let them take Henry.”

Emma picked up Henry and drove away. It was difficult for her to see the road because tears wouldn’t stop streaming down her face.

John and Michael looked at August with big, fearful eyes. They saw Tamara fall, they saw Greg flee. It didn’t even register in their minds when Emma was getting away, with Henry out of their reach.

Then Michael started crying. “All we wanted was to save our sister,” he wailed, “she went off to Neverland to try and save Baelfire…”

August turned to Neal. They all suddenly forgot their own fears, and rushed to Neal’s side.

He was gasping for breath, losing blood, and semi-conscious.

“I’m sorry, Baelfire,” John cried, seeing the tears in his once-family-member’s eyes. “Pan has Wendy. He said he would kill her if we don’t do what he tells us. He wants your baby.”

“We wanted to be heroes,” Michael cried.

August started picking Neal up off the ground, but,   
hearing Michael, he turned to him and said, “and now you became villains, and Baelfire is dying. If you give me your car to take him home so he won’t die alone on the side of the road, Emma _might_ forgive you one day.”

John and Michael agreed, and helped carry Neal to the back seat of their Pontiac.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Show, don't tell. If you want all the characters to say that someone died a hero, show it first. Make his death meaningful.  
> (Don't worry. I will spoil this one thing for you. This is a story about hope and happy endings. Nealfire is safe here.)  
> K, bye. Sorry for the small rant.


	10. Chapter 10

Both Gold and Regina felt a terrible foreboding as Emma and Neal’s line was cut off when they left town.

“I think I might have an idea who might want to kidnap my child-” Regina started.

“ _your_ child?” Mr. Gold scoffed.

“Jefferson.”

“Jefferson? He remembers?”

“Yes, he’s awake, and I’m going to his place.”

“Any other ideas? Anywhere I can look? Granny’s Diner?”

Regina made a strangled sound. “You can try,” she said.

But Gold decided to join her at Jefferson’s house after calling Granny and hearing that she saw nothing suspicious.

Jefferson greeted them with open arms and a wide smile. “Regina and Mr. Gold! To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Cut the act,” Regina said impatiently.

Just then, Regina’s phone rang. It was Emma.

“Hello,” Regina answered.

A million thoughts crossed Rumple’s mind. _If Emma can call, then they must be back in Storybrooke. Would they come back without Henry?_

And then Regina’s face paled. “Slow down, Emma, I can’t hear a thing. Why are you crying? Did you find Henry?”

Regina furroed her brow and shut her eyes tightly, trying to hear between Emma’s sobs.

“Emma, Emma, I… let me talk to Neal-“

This made Emma cry even harder.

Hearing this, Gold was already on his way out to his car. Regina started to follow, hoping to greet them at the town line, but Jefferson stopped her.

“Uh hem, nope,” he said, grabbing her arm.

“But my children-“

“Are not my problem,” the mad hatter spat, “my daughter, on the other hand,” he bared his teeth.

“Let go of my arm, if you know what’s good for you”

Gold was not interested in Regina’s problems, he just said, “call me if you hear anything. They don’t have my number.”

Regina tried to grab her arm away from Jefferson, but he said to her, “I know who you are hiding in the hospital cellar, your majesty. Do you think _Mr. Gold_ would still be your friend if he knew?”

Regina stopped in her tracks.

Jefferson laughed, “ready to talk now, are you,” he said.

****************

****************

Mr. Gold drove to the town line, and tried to cross it, but his car died and he just couldn’t leave. He stood there, fuming at the curse, for a few minutes. He flipped his phone on, but did not have his son’s number to call. He called 911, and then he called Regina.

“It’s very bad,” Regina said.

“Is Henry hurt?”

“Henry is OK. It’s Neal-“

Suddenly, a red Pontiac entered the town line and short-stopped right in front of Gold.

“Get in!” August snapped.

Gold was about to ask who he was, when he saw the backseat, and the words died on his lips.

He got in the back door and knelt on the floor of the back seat as August sped to the hospital.

Bae was laying in the back seat, pale as a sheet, and behind him, a puddle of blood was growing on the upholstery.

“Bae,” Rumple whispered holding his hand gently.

“Emma will meet us at the hospital,” August announced from the front seat.

The emergency crew were there when they arrived, and Bae was taken into the hospital.

Emma was holding Henry in her arms and sobbing. She followed the emergency personnel into the hospital.

Neal was brought in and looked at by Dr. Whale. He affirmed that nothing could be done and that Neal was dying. He made Neal as comfortable as he could with drugs, and connected him to machines to give him some coherence so he could say goodbye to his family.

“No, no, I can fix this,” Mr. Gold said to his son. He started to leave the hospital room, “I can-“

“You can’t,” Neal said, “don’t go, papa. There’s no magic here.”

Hearing her beloved, magic-obsessed Neal say that there is no magic hit Emma hard. She let out a broken sob and held him close.

“Neal,” she cried.

“Tell Henry that I love him,” Neal said to Emma.

“No… please… he won’t remember you…” Emma was weeping so hard she didn’t even know what she was saying. She wanted him to tell her that he _does_ believe in magic. She wanted him to tell her how he hates magic, how he came from a land with magic. She wanted his stories. She wanted magic.

“It’s OK, Emma. As long as he knows that I was a good father.”

“No,” Emma sobbed, “Neal! We never went to Tallahassee! You never even saw Florida!”

Mr. Gold saw his boy talking to this Emma. He didn’t know what to do. There was magic inside the dragon, Malificent, but he will never be able to get it fast enough, and Bae told him to stay.

He phoned Regina and told her about Snow and Charming’s true love magic buried inside Malificent. He begged her to go and get it.

“Tell Jefferson to go get Charming’s sword. It’s in my shop. He knows, so you won’t have to waste time explaining anything.”

Regina agreed to go, but when Neal asked where Regina was, Emma told Gold to call her to come.

He was already on the phone with her, and she heard what Neal wanted. She decided that it wasn’t worth the risk to bring back magic while they barely had minutes left to be with Neal. He was dying. The things that Gold is telling her and Jefferson to do would take at least two hours.

In the end she decided to come and send Jefferson with a promise to help him if he gets the magic himself.

Gold sat by his son, “hold on, Bae, I want to-“

“You can’t,” Neal said again. “Henry is in danger, papa. You must protect him. Remember me through him.”

“I don’t want to let you go,” Gold sobbed.

“I know you don’t. Please, let go.”

Gold held his son’s hand, the whole universe crashing around him, as he saw his son taking his last breaths.

“I love you son,” he said desperately.

“I love you papa,” Bae said, as the light left his eyes.

Emma was sobbing harder than ever, and Regina, who had just walked in, was crying too.

Gold knew it was over. There was no hope. There was no magic. Jefferson was too late. It was too late. He lost his boy, and there was no coming back from death. Even if Jefferson would bring back magic, it was too late.

Shaking with sobs, he lifted his son’s limp hand and kissed it one last time.

Suddenly, waves of magic radiated from the kiss and whooshed through the whole town. Bae blinked. He took a sharp breath and looked around, alive and well.

Emma was hysterical. She was laughing and crying.

“Neal,” she whooped, “oh, Neal!”

And she hugged him and kissed him all over his face.

“Hey, Emma,” Neal laughed, “I love you too. Hey,” he kissed her back.

“You scared me,” Emma hiccuped, still very hysterical. "I thought you- you- oh, I was sure you…” Emma couldn’t being herself to say what she thought.

“I was dead, wasn’t I?”

Emma put her forehead on Neal’s forehead in answer. She slid her hand behind his back to check on the wound and felt healthy skin. Dirty with blood, but all healed.

“How…”

“Magic,” Neal said, meeting her eyes.

She smiled. “You still believe in it,” she said. It wasn’t a question.

“I believe what I see, Emma.”

“Well, maybe your injury wasn’t as bad as we thought,” Emma said hesitantly.

“So, you’re still the disbelieving adult who thinks magic is children’s tales?”

“And you’re still the gullible child who thinks Peter Pan will come and get him.”

Neal looked at his papa, who was staring at him the entire time, the tears drying on his face, drinking in the sight of his living, breathing son.

“Papa,” Neal said squeezing his fingers. They were still holding hands. “Henry will be safe as long as Emma has him, but we must protect Emma. They tried to kill her because she stopped Pan from kidnapping Henry by not believing.”

Emma chuckled, “you’re calling that home-office kidnapper-guy ‘Pan’?” And then she got very serious, “we have to call the cops on them.”

"I did," Mr. Gold said, exchanging a look with his son, "they don't believe me."

Henry started fussing in Emma's arms. Neal stretched his arms towards his baby, to pick him up, but Emma took him back after Neal gave him a light kiss and said, "he had a long day. I'll go home with him and put him to bed."

Baelfire and his papa stayed alone together.

They were alone, because, when the curse broke, and while their happy family were busy with each other, the rest of the hospital staff remembered who Regina was.

They all looked at her with murder in their eyes. They advanced towards her. She quickly turned and ran. But she was not running home. She met Jefferson at the dragon’s lair. She was bringing magic to Storybrooke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter, Emma goes home to find the whole town ready to kill her son's godmother, Regina.
> 
> While Neal tries to figure out what to do about Emma not believing that her parents are in town. 
> 
> Snow spots Rumple and asks where her baby Emma is. 
> 
> Everyone is looking for everyone else. 
> 
> And Jefferson....
> 
> Neal will learn the identity of the Evil Queen.
> 
> Regina will realize that "magic is different here"
> 
> Magic in Storybrooke is NOT compatible to Dark Magic. Magic in SB is pure light. It was brought from True Love. Snowing's love.


	11. Chapter 11

“The curse…” a young woman holding some flowers walked towards the father and son, “it broke. Now where is my daughter Emma?”

“Snow White,” Mr. Gold said, making a face.

Neal squeezed his father’s arm and Gold tried to sound a little more civil.

“I … like your haircut,” He finally said awkwardly.

“So now that she broke the curse, where is Emma?” Snow white stood over Mr. Gold and demanded.

“She doesn’t believe in magic. She’s not going to believe that you are her parents.”

“But she broke the curse!” Snow white protested.

“Doesn’t mean she believes in magic.”

They looked at each other testily.

“Where is your husband,” Gold asked coolly, “why aren’t you _both_ looking for your baby girl?”

Snow gasped, as if suddenly remembering something, “my husband!” She panted, and ran to the other room.

Soon enough they heard a happy whoop. It sounded like John Doe was miraculously awake and both remembered who they were.

“So,” Neal said haltingly, “there was a curse, and now it’s broken?”

“Yes,” Gold admitted.

“But _you_ broke it didn’t you?”

“I… guess,” Mr. Gold said and he couldn’t help smiling a happy smile.

“So…” Baelfire said slowly, “you really _do_ still …love me”

“Oh, son, of course I do! Oh, Bae… and you still love me even after what I did…”

“Of course I love you, papa, that’s why I am so angry at you! Why did you let go of my hand?”

“Oh I am sorry, Bae, I know that no apology will erase the time you spent alone on the streets. I never should have let you go. But I was scared, and I’m sor-“

“What were _you_ scared of? You were the adult! You’re my father! You were always the one taking care of _me_ when I was scared. Then you turned into an overprotective monster. To save me, I know, but still, what could possibly scare you _that_ much?”

“It’s complicated, Bae, I was afraid of it being a trick. I was afraid that it would tear us apart-“

“Well it did, didn’t it,” Neal interjected, “all you had to do to prevent that was hold on!”

“But it didn’t even take you to that land without magic! You said you were in- you were in- in-“

“Neverland,” Bae said impatiently, “you afraid of Neverland?”

“Yes,” Rumple answered in a very small voice.

Neal looked at him closely.

“There’s magic in Neverland.” Neal was baffled, “You are the Dark One. Neverland should be afraid of _you_!”

Just then, Snow and Charming entered their room and demanded to see Emma again.

“GO,” Mr. Gold said aggravated, “she’s at Regina’s mansion. She won’t recognize you!”

“You must believe me Bae,” Gold pleaded when they went. “I’ve spent every day since to try and follow you to this land.”

“And a _curse_ was what you came up with?”

“There was no other way!”

“You do realize that you have caused another child to grow up alone… were those really Emma’s parents?”

“But they were supposed to go with Emma! All three of them were supposed to somehow get to the land without magic!”

Suddenly August appeared. He came to check on Neal and heard the conversation.

“That was my fault.” August said, sitting down across them and shaking his head.

He told them about his and his father’s hand in Emma’s predicament.

“We have to get Emma to believe, papa!”

“I don’t see how. I’ve never met anyone so skeptical before!”

Suddenly, John and Michael came running into the room “Baelfire! You’re OK!” They yelled and ran to hug their long lost adopted brother.

“You were able to come in?” Neal was astonished.

“Yes!” The brothers said, “the curse broke or something, and we were just able to get in! We ran so fast you have no idea!” They said gasping and wheezing. They both looked like they ran miles. They didn’t have their car.

“Anyone can come into Storybrooke now?” Rumple asked.

Rumple and Bae exchanged a horrified look.

“No!” They both got up and ran as fast as they could to Regina’s mansion.

************

Regina was helping Jefferson slay the dragon and they both got the bottle of magic. She started running to the well, when Jefferson stopped her.

“You promised,” he said.

“I will give you both fake memories of life in this land OK? Let me get my magic first!”

“No,” Jefferson said. “You can give us memories _now_! It’s _your_ curse!”

“Fine!” Regina said and took him to her vault. “What a waste of time!” She complained the whole way.

Once Jefferson and his daughter were reunited and on their way out of town, Regina hurried to the well and poured the bottle of magic into it.

Purple smoke filled Storybrooke as Regina walked back to her mansion. She saw an angry crowd waiting for her by her door.

“Can I help you?” Regina strutted towards the crowd smiling.

“That smirk isn’t gonna last forever, Regina. You took everything from us. And now…” said Dr. Wale

“What? Now you’re gonna kill me?” Regina laughed.

“Eventually. But first, you need to suffer.” Dr. Whale said angrily.

Regina shoved Dr. Whale. “Listening to you has been enough suffering for all of us,” she said.

Regina looked at the angry mob by her door. “That’s right. You wanted to see your Queen? Well, my dears,” she said raising her arms in the familiar way she always did. Oh it’s been a long time! She missed casting spells. “Here she is!” 

But nothing happened.

Suddenly Regina looked afraid. She backed away as the angry crowd advanced. Some people were holding knives, some were holding pitchforks. 

as Regina backed away, she bumped into Emma, who appeared at Regina’s door. She had put Henry to bed and heard the commotion outside. Seeing the angry crowd aiming their pitchforks at Regina, she ran over to her and blocked her, protecting her adoptive mother from everyone.

She spread her arms and yelled, “what is this? I don’t know what political opposition you have for our mayor, but you can settle it civilly!”

“What?!” Yelled a few voices.

Emma and the crowd were arguing back and forth, Emma blocking Regina protectively the entire time, stopping the knife weilding and gun pointing and rotten tomato throwing.

“Who are you anyway?” Someone in the crowd suddenly yelled, “I don’t recognize you from our land!”

While Emma was debating what to answer, Snow and Charming were running towards the mansion.

“I am Emma Swan,” Emma finally answered. She decided that this mob probably didn't know about her criminal past. “You don’t know me, because I am not from here. But I know that a protest should be just some shouting and holding up signs. violence is not the way to go. Not in _any_ town!”

“Emma!” Snow and Charming whooped happily as they ran to her wanting to hug her, but she stepped away from them. Emma was still trying to block Regina from the townspeople’s wrath.

Snow turned to the crowd. “Look, we will take care of Regina, but let us talk to Emma first. Go home to your family now!”

Everyone dispersed. Emma looked at the young woman in awe. How did she convince everyone to go home so easily? All she did was ask them to leave and the craziest protest she ever saw was over! Just like that!

“Can we talk to you, Emma?”

Emma led them into Regina’s living room after silently asking Regina’s permission with a significant look and a small nod from the mayor.

Snow and Charming looked at Emma lovingly. Emma felt awkward and sat closer to Regina.

“Who are these people,” she whispered in Regina’s ear.

.


End file.
